Ultra high frequency transmission line system



E. L. GINZTON Dec. 19, 1950 ULTRA HIGH FREQUENCY TRANSMISSION LINE SYSTEM Filed March 30, 1949 INVENTOR mm/w L Gm/zro/v Patented Dec; 19,

h V ents, tq 'gh e Sperry Cameratio'n, a corporation (if Delaware Application time to, 1949; Serial No; 84-45% 'line- K This slot permits a pfckii o ev ce, such as a pet e, to befin'fserted intothe section of were ene a me wi e mov r dnz i r der to measiir'e' the el'ctro'i'riag'riet'ic field at tar-1 ou positions along the eectior M Withsuch an arrahgehieiit, the sensitivity or he; probe changes with engages in the cap of the 15550525 to tsguiiduiiamgsah cohs'qit s eapaeit'ymqst be m mtamd 's'iibsta' nti'ally nstantalon'g the path tratrsecl by the traveli'iii'g br'ob'.

city; hetttenthe paste aridtiigwaii is ithe largest caiifacity eiricoiinterd. Changes the probe to-sljot eapaei y as the iii'olo is me ed a ne the 5165 can be minimi e dandy/5 sor'ne of the en rgy conveyed line radiate from the line.

lo't 'so that the e i e -n i. t6 manufa t re 2 515 iqi i t ig la e a e-c i. eu er hqr cqmine n: en en iqeelfi e dn rwer de e e e is ea -e? ,ez sult the, ear: 19W. l t it l ne eris. 12 8 91 12 bi th? pr ms or. theelot'ca ise reflections. Thu's',

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is oh de ectors are expneite (otitii m transmission line and cause erratic field Strfith mea ement -M. v, f ihci e d ifi ul qeer t me tea am-p fi e l ent by thee-P at .s1 f19 QiILc 5 pend n ee eet e fiet memei ed fi r;

tember 20, 1946, now Patent No. 2,4958

eete Ee i Alfie- 115. a p ra us e a e idad eee net bI tr' f its oeereti eifxe eene z. see d. i t i transmission line in which it g'lsiifejdtki me the standing-wave ratio. Th'btfir and at the wave guide is ti'pen and sgpports a movable carriage to which the Brobe is attached. Howr. he. t nl he. fir eemie oetl e ve etta end wall ipf t we e. e de. i e tt th fi a ne the tren m fie qnline e is el e1 eld m esimem e lle elksz... A 56 to tw ter e mn aeq eictei j le en i ioiil ofc e t emi ie iw ee w re .i 'flll c lj .2

act c t pedee e. Pi .21 7? l lp's fiw th me e n e ee ly'et ne r flee ex a on ii'rile's ljo riigl tran 1 eu di 1 v we le te egs tion e ections are erfipl transrnis'si'o'h line The separation Between the two outer conductpre 05f thelthree conductor line is sufficient to perinit the introdiiction of a probe niiesg itactually extends into the i terior of the transmission line. The presence oi the probe inthetrans mi ssionline brings about se eral undesirable efiects, Firs-t, the probecanses the electromagnetic field pattern to bedisturbed;

which in turn may result. inincorrect field Strength readings; Also; as the probe is moved longitudinally along" the slotted 1ine'ri1 inute dis'-' placements of the vertical or tangential petition of the erotic cause aiifiicablevariaepas lit de- F ed energy w h preventa prcis'ede'teriiii current flow; may change the field within" the h d te t p h n a m k i, L i v it gaaiv'e y in$ensit1y to anemia definite, t imimt ipeet Iie ipe he urther ew P etlt ar i a; w v-ide means in a standing wayedetector counteracting the electromagnetic energy r'e fiectedbyjthe detector.

A still further feature of the invention is t5; provide" a standing-wave detector which 111215 substantially no adverse effect upon the electromagnetic fiel'di of the transmission line;, These'andother features of the invention-will;

be apparent from the following description, the appended claims, and the drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is an oblique View, partially broken away, of the standing wave detector:

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one end of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

By the conformal transforation in .2D

from a Z-plane to a W-plane, the electric and magnetic field patterns in an ordinary coaxial line can be converted to the electric and magnetic field patterns between a conductor of elliptical cross-section and two infinite planes equidistant from and parallel to the major axis of the elliptical conductor R is the inner radius of the outer conductor of the coaxial line in the Z-plane, Z represents the radius vector in the Z-plane, W represents the radius vector in the W-plane, and D is the distance between the two infinite planes.

If the characteristic impedance of the combination of the elliptical conductor and the infinite planes is to have the same characteristic impedance as the coaxial line,

Z=Ro tan where R1 is the radius vector of the inner conductor of the coaxial line in the Z-plane. For a typical coaxial line having R1=0.l25 inch and Ro=0.4375 inch, the diameters of the major and minor axes of the conductor of elliptical crosssection are 0.328 and 0.311 inch respectively for use with infinite planes separated by 0.875 inch.

It has been found that a conductor of circular cross-section can be substituted for the conductor of elliptical cross-section without materially affecting the electric and magnetic fields between the conductor and the infinite planes. ductor of circular cross-section has a diameter approximately equal to the calculated diameter of the minor axis of a conductor of elliptical crosssection, and it is determined from the relation:

where R2 is the radius of the conductor of circular cross-section.

' The electric and magnetic fields between the cylindrical conductor and the two planes decrease rapidly along the two planes away from the-cylindrical conductor, and, in practice, the infinite planes can be terminated a short distance away from the cylindrical conductor. It has been found that planes having a width approximately equal to twice the spacing between the planes give satisfactory results. Very little power is radiated with such an arrangement, and hand, effects are negligible.

Thus, the combination of two planes and a cylindrical conductor positioned between and spaced equidistant from the two planes may be inserted in a coaxial line without affecting the characteristic impedance of the line or the speed of propagation of electromagnetic energy along the line. This afiords a convenient and practical means for examining the electric and magnetic fields along the line with very high accuracy.

R3=22 arctan into the other o as to eliminate reflections.

cause fringing electric and magnetic fields at each end of the three-conductor line, since the field configurations are diiferent, and this causes a small amount of energy to be reflected along the line. Gradual tapering of one line into the other is a possible method of transforming one line However, this is mechanically awkward, and increases the unsupported length of the inner conductor.

A more satisfactory junction is obtained by joining the outer conductors of the two coaxial lines directly to end plates connecting the parallel planes and placing a circumferential groove in the inner conductor of each coaxial line at the junction between each inner conductor of the coaxial lines and the cylindrical conductor of the three-conductor line. The purpose of these grooves is to introduce a small inductive discontinuity at each junction, and these inductive discontinuities serve to balance out the reflections caused by the changes in field configuration at each end of the three-conductor line.

, cal and is a function of the diameter of the cylin- The condrical conductor of the three-conductor line.

The combined impedance contributed by the groove and the discontinuity comprises a low-pass filter having a cutoff frequency much higher than the useful frequency range of the coaxial line for structures having ordinary parameters.

Referring now to the drawings, two spaced plates Iii and H having adjacent surfaces which are plane and parallel are connected at each end by end plates [2 and I3 to enclose a rectangular space 14 having a length L equal to slightly more than one-half wavelength at the lowest frequency at which measurements are to be made.

A cylindrical conductor [5 extends the length of space [4 and is spaced midway between plates 10 and H. The ends of conductor [5 are passed through circular holes 20 and 2| in end plates l2 and i3 respectively and connected through undercut sections 22 and 23 to conductors 24 and 25 which are the inner conductors of two sections of coaxial lines. The outer conductors 25 and 21 of the two coaxial line sections are attached to end plates [2 and 13 respectively. Each coaxial line section is provided with a dielectric member 31 to support the corresponding inner conductor.

Each of the two coaxial line sections 24, 26 and 25, 21 may be extended or provided with a coupling for connecting one section to a source of ultra-high-frequency electromagnetic energy 28 and the other section to a load or utilization device 29.

A third coaxial line section 30 having an inner conductor 31 which extends into space M is supported on a carriage 32 by clamp 33. Thumb screw 34 permits adjustment of clamp 33 so that 1 vertical adjustment of the position of the ex- The transitions from the coaxial line sections it to the three-conductor transmission line comprising the two planes and the cylindrical conductor to a field strength indicator such as. crystal de: tector 35 and meter 36. Preferably, the crystal detector should be positioned near probe 3l:.

Plates Ill and II have plane upper faces which support each end of carriage 32. Brackets and I are attached to the ends of carriage 3.2 and over flanges 42 and 43 in plates. I0. and, II 9. that carriage 32 and conductor 31 can be moved longitudinally along space I4 with substantial freedom from lateral movement.

Toothed strips or racks 44, and are supported on flanges 42 and 43. respe ti e y. and each end of carriage 3.2. is rooved so that th carria e does not contact the toothed strips. Toothed wh l or pin o s. 6 and. 41 arer sidl attached to aft 48 and en age to thed tri s r racks 44 and spe v y Sha t 48 rotetably supported by bushings 49 and 5B which are rigidl attached to carriage 32, and knob 5 I is ri idly attached to one end of; shaft 48 so that the shaft 3 may be rotated to move carriage 32.

A pointer til attached to bracket 49 and a scale 6| attached to or formed in plate II serve as a means for determining the longitudinal position of conductor 3! in space I4.

In operation, conductor 3! is extended into pac M a ufli t depth to c use th field stren th d at atta h d to coax l. line E9 9 produce a suitabl e din and then sucoe vo field strength readings are observed on the indi cator while probe 3| is moved longitudinally along space [4. In .this manner the relative strength or the electromagnetic field in space I4 as a function of the longitudinal position of probe 3I is determined. I

Since the field in the detector decreases exponentially with distance away from they center cond o ve i al moveme t f probe :31. pr vides an accurate means tor attenuating the sigml n co xi line 39-the att nua measure in decibels being linearly proportional t the vertical displacement. Thus, an alternative method o measuring th fiel e th al s ace I41 to a j s t ertica pos on of o al line 3 and probe 31 as carriage. 3,2 ,is moved longitudinally so that the reading of the indicator attached to line .30 is aconstant value. The variations in field strength are then obtained :by

observing the vertical displacement of transmission line 30 on decibel scale 63. v

More complex pickup devices may be employed if desired. For example, symmetrical magnetic probes for use with non-resonant bolometers may be substituted for probe 3 I.

Since fringing fields exist near each end of the standing-wave detector, field strength readings should not be made in the vicinity of end plates I2 and I3. It has been found that accurate readings can be obtained up to 6 centimeters from each end of space I4 in the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein.

Suitable dimensions for the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein are as follows:

L=slightly longer than one-half wavelength at The only critical dimension is. the distance bee tween the probe and the innerconductor. Vari: ations in this distance are minimized by mini-.- mizing irregularities in the surfaces of plates I0 and II upon which carriage 32 slides and by employing a rigid center conductor I5 firmly sup-.- ported at each end. A steel rod plated first with copper and then with silver has been found satis; factory.

The apparatus is relatively insensitive to lat:- eral variations in the position of probe 3|. Lat; eral displacements up to '7 mm. and tilts up to 5 cause substantially no change in detected energy in the embodiment disclosed herein.

In order to minimize changes in the distance between plates I 0 and II along space [4, the side of each plate which is not contiguous with space I4 may be provided with a reinforcing structure. For egample, the plates may be cast and provided with ribs as an integral part thereof. Aluminum plates have been found satisfactory.

It will be observed that in this embodiment of the invention the distance between the parallel planes and the inner diameter of the outer conductor of the coaxial line are equal; however,

these dimensions are merely illustrative and it will be apparent that different dimensions may be employed.

Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A standing-wave detector for ultra-high frequency electromagnetic energy comprising an electrical conductor, a circumferential groove near each end of said conductor, each portion of said conductor between each groove and the respective end of the conductor having a tubular conductor substantially coextensive therewith, said tubular conductors having an inner. diameter larger than the outer diameter of the end. portions of said grooved conductor, means supporting each end portion of said grooved conductor coaxial with said tubular conductors, two electrically conductive plane surfaces substantially coextensive with. the portion of said conductor between said grooves, said surfaces being parallel and equidistant from said grooved conductor so that the grooved conductor extends longitudinally through the center of the space between said surfaces, the longitudinal edges of said parallel surfaces providing wide longitudinal openings communicating with the space between said surfaces, means connecting each of said surfaces longitudinally between said tubular conductors, a movable electrical pickup device extending into the space between said surfaces, and means for connecting said pickup device to a field strength indicator.

2. A standing-wave detector for ultra-high-frequency electromagnetic energy comprising four surfaces of electrically conductive material defining a space of substantially rectangular longitudinal cross-section, an electrical conductor extending longitudinally through said space, said conductor extending through a hole in each end surface defining said rectangular space and being electrically insulated from said end surfaces, means for coupling an electromagnetic energy conveyor to each end of said conductor and the end surface adjacent thereto, a movable electrical pickup device extending into said rectangular space, and means for connecting said pickup device to a field strength indicator.

3. An ultra-high-frequency transmission line for electromagnetic energy comprising two coaxial line sections having substantially the same cross-sectional dimensions, two mutually spaced electrically conductive members having opposed surfaces, means connecting each of said members between the outer conductors of saidcoaxial line sections, and an electrical conductor connected between the inner conductors of said coaxial line sections and extending longitudinally between said surfaces, wherein said electrical conductor has a substantially circular cross-section having a radius determined by the relation 12 arctan & 1r R I where R2 is the radius of said electrical conductor, R1 is the radius of the inner conductor of said coaxial line sections, D is the spacing between the two members having opposed surfaces, and R0 is the inner radius of the outer conductors of said coaxial line sections.

4. An ultra-high-frequency transmission line for electromagnetic energy comprising two coaxial line sections having substantially the same cross-sectional dimensions, two mutuall spaced electrically conductive members having opposed surfaces, means connecting each of said members between the outer conductors of said coaxial line sections, and an electrical conductor connected between the inner conductors of said coaxial line sections and extending longitudinally between said surfaces, wherein the spacing between said two members having opposed surfaces is determined generally by the conformal transformation of one of the coaxial line sections in a Z-plane which is at right angles to the length of the coaxial line section to a transformed line in a W-plane which is at right angles to the length of the transformed line, which is expressed by the equation where Z is the radius vector in the Z-plane from the center of said one coaxial line section to the surfaces constituting the coaxial line, W'is the radius vector in the W-plane from the center of the transformed line to the surfaces constituting the transformed line, D is the spacing between the two members having opposed surfaces, and R0 is the inner radius of the outer conductor of said one coaxial line. section in the Z-plane.

5. A transmission line for ultra-high-frequein cy-electromagnetic energy comprising an electrical conductor, first and second tubular conductors respectively surrounding the two end portions of said electrical conductor, said tubular conductors having an inner diameter larger than the'outer diameter of the end portions of said electrical conductor, means supporting each end portion of said electrical conductor coaxial with said tubular conductors, two electrically conductiveplane surfaces substantially coextensive with i the portion of said electrical conductor between REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,203,481 Zottu June 4, 1940 2,404,797 Hansen July 30, 1946 2,415,151 Malling Feb. 4, 1947 2,437,482 Salisbury Mar. 9, 1948 2,454,042 Dettinger Nov. 16, 1948 2,468,151 Willoughby Apr. 26, 1949 2,483,419

Karmin Oct. 4, 1949 OTHER REFERENCES ,Microwave Transmission Design Data, pub:- lished by Sperry Gyroscope Company, Inc., Pub.

No. 23-80. Copy in Patent Ofiice Library, dated January 23, 1946. 

